Captain William C. Quantrill, CSA

[Rebforever]

I didn't now there was rules to war. The object was to kill or be killed, and win the battles.

Here is Lincoln's code of war.

http://www.icrc.org/ihl/INTRO/110?OpenDocument

 

[james99]

One of my favorite movies is Ride With the Devil

http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=ipad&p=ride+with+the+devil

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Patrick H,

Thanks for your Trans-Mississippi input!

 

[18thVirginia]

Well, actually, a bunch of them had--and had fled to Texas to get the heck out of Dodge....so to speak. They sure didn't want that group of troublemakers following them! Henry McCulloch thought it was a bad idea to let them "help" anyway...he was just overruled....and frankly, desperate. He was right to begin with. They were more problem than the bush men they were supposed to round up.

Some of my family were already there in those counties along the Red River, so I didn't think of the folks who'd fled the troubles in Missouri, I'm sure that you're correct about their attitudes. I've always thought that McCulloch had been a Ranger and a sheriff and could undoubtedly recognize what he had on his hands with Quantrill and Anderson from the outset.

Sort of like traveling in a foreign country with my husband and having him point out a guy in the street and say, "Don't let him get behind you, he's trouble." And suddenly a local hotel employee walks up, points out the same guy and says "Careful of that one, he's a thief and he's working the crowd."

 

[Tumbleweed]

We don't know if Anderson would have stopped, too, because he was killed during the war, but considering many of his colleagues continued into colorful if often brief careers after the war ended, it's likely he would have as well. His alignment with the Confederacy was not so much a belief in that ideal but more a reason to justify disposing of those he held responsible for personal miseries - which seemed to be everybody.

I definitely agree. Bill Anderson's depredations preceded the war and it's unlikely he would have changed afterwards. His brother, Jim and right hand man, Archie Clements went to Texas rather than surrender and since Bill had a wife there he obviously would have done the same. Jim was murdered in Texas and Clements ventured back into Missouri where he was gunned down by the authorities. Chances are Bill Anderson would also have met an untimely death soon after the war.

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Some individuals kill to protect self or others.

Some individuals kill to protect their property.

And some individuals kill because they like it.....

Bloody Bill Anderson killed because he liked it.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Bloody Bill Anderson killed because he liked it.

I don't know if he liked it but he certainly had no problem with it. One of his men years later wrote of Anderson: "He had come to the place at last where an eye had to be rendered for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. He found nor asked no quarters - he gave none. If now and then he committed some overt act he thought the exigences of the war demanded it."

 

[Buckeye Bill]

In my line of profession, you come into contact with individuals which meet the criteria of number 1 and number 2 on my above list.

Then you come into contact with individuals which like to rape, steal and kill.

Bloody Bill Anderson liked to kill!

 

[ole]

In my line of profession, you come into contact with individuals which meet the criteria of number 1 and number 2 on my above list.

Then you come into contact with individuals which like to rape, steal and kill.

Bloody Bill Anderson liked to kill!

I don't know that he got up in the morning and started the day, after coffee, looking for someone to kill to meet his quota. With Tumbleweed, I agree that he had no problem with killing. I think he just roamed around and killed anyone associated with the Federals or anyone he suspected to be in cahoots with them.

"You don't want us to take your horses or that cow? You must be a damyankee!" BANG!

 

[Northern Light]

I am wondering why someone thought it was necessary to photograph Anderson's dead body, and especially why it was posed with his gun? It seems so macabre, not at all like taking a picture of a loved one, who has died, as was not uncommon at the time. Was this for journalists, or for an official record?

 

[Nothingfaced]

Today is the 151st anniversary of the Lawrence Massacre of 1863 conducted by Captain William C. Quantrill, CSA.

Question : Was this man a faithful soldier or a bloody murderer?

* Virginia contains the most American Civil War conflicts. Tennessee is second on the list. Missouri is third.....

Faithful soldier.

 

[diane]

I am wondering why someone thought it was necessary to photograph Anderson's dead body, and especially why it was posed with his gun? It seems so macabre, not at all like taking a picture of a loved one, who has died, as was not uncommon at the time. Was this for journalists, or for an official record?

I think it was just the fascination with death in general of that time. It was something the public was curious about. Anderson was considered more of a criminal than a soldier at any rate. But there was one guy who was even worse - can't remember his name - but he made Anderson look like an altar boy. After his death his head was put on a pole and people danced around it. At least Anderson wasn't that bad!

 

[Northern Light]

I think it was just the fascination with death in general of that time. It was something the public was curious about. Anderson was considered more of a criminal than a soldier at any rate. But there was one guy who was even worse - can't remember his name - but he made Anderson look like an altar boy. After his death his head was put on a pole and people danced around it. At least Anderson wasn't that bad!

War always brings out the best in people doesn't! Head on a pole? Positively medieval.

 

[nitrofd]

They made a big deal about photographing John dillinger body when he was killed, so in 75yrs. it didn't change all that much

 

[ole]

I am wondering why someone thought it was necessary to photograph Anderson's dead body, and especially why it was posed with his gun? It seems so macabre, not at all like taking a picture of a loved one, who has died, as was not uncommon at the time. Was this for journalists, or for an official record?

Displaying and photographing bodies of the notorious was quite common. It seems ghoulish now, but it was done. (Like slavery was legal.)

 

[101combatvet]

I am wondering why someone thought it was necessary to photograph Anderson's dead body, and especially why it was posed with his gun? It seems so macabre, not at all like taking a picture of a loved one, who has died, as was not uncommon at the time. Was this for journalists, or for an official record?

It was to record his death, a snapshot of the event. No one could dispute his demise with a photograph of his lifeless body. I'm sure the news of his death was plastered in every newspaper in the region, since photographs could not be transferred to paper, engravers made likenesses that could be printed. It appears that two or more photographs were taken of the dead Anderson.

 

[Northern Light]

They made a big deal about photographing John dillinger body when he was killed, so in 75yrs. it didn't change all that much

Yes, but they didn't sit Dillinger up and pose him with his gun as I recall. You are right, however, people love the sensational. that is why we are plagued with those "interesting" tabloids and magazines at the grocery store checkouts. Candy-free aisles? I say, trash free aisles!

 

[Tumbleweed]

I am wondering why someone thought it was necessary to photograph Anderson's dead body, and especially why it was posed with his gun? It seems so macabre, not at all like taking a picture of a loved one, who has died, as was not uncommon at the time. Was this for journalists, or for an official record?

They'd been hunting this man for quite some time. He was bitterly hated by Union men and was a trophy to be put on exhibit. Afterwards, he was thrown into a shallow grave and the militia men spat and urinated on it.

But there was one guy who was even worse - can't remember his name - but he made Anderson look like an altar boy. After his death his head was put on a pole and people danced around it. At least Anderson wasn't that bad!

I believe you're referring to Alf Bolin. "People danced all around the pole in Forsyth and other settlements in rejoicement of his death." I have a link to him in a previous post.

 

[Tumbleweed]

In my line of profession, you come into contact with individuals which meet the criteria of number 1 and number 2 on my above list.

Then you come into contact with individuals which like to rape, steal and kill.

Bloody Bill Anderson liked to kill!

Maybe he did, sir. I wasn't there so I don't know for certain. I guess I'd like to think that he didn't.

 

[diane]

They'd been hunting this man for quite some time. He was bitterly hated by Union men and was a trophy to be put on exhibit. Afterwards, he was thrown into a shallow grave and the militia men spat and urinated on it.



I believe you're referring to Alf Bolin. "People danced all around the pole in Forsyth and other settlements in rejoicement of his death." I have a link to him in a previous post.

Yes! That's him. You've got to be pretty bad to have people dancing on your grave, that's for sure.